Brief overview
- Symptoms: Visible bulge when crying or coughing
- Treatment: Rarely necessary, sometimes umbilical hernia surgery
- Causes and risk factors: Lack of regression of the embryonic umbilical hernia or development due to increased abdominal pressure
- Diagnosis: palpation, ultrasound if necessary
- Course and prognosis: Usually heals by itself by the age of three.
- Prevention: Not possible in babies
What is an umbilical hernia in a baby?
How does an umbilical hernia manifest itself in babies?
Parents recognize an umbilical hernia in a baby when a small bulge appears in the umbilical area – especially when sneezing, crying, with heavy flatulence or when pushing out stool. The bulge can usually be pushed back again.
An incarcerated umbilical hernia is an emergency that must be treated immediately by a doctor – there is a danger to life!
What to do in case of an umbilical hernia in a baby?
In the past, so-called “umbilical plasters” were used for treatment. However, pediatricians now advise against this. The pressure of such a patch may also cause a hernia if the connective tissue is weak.
Some physiotherapists and midwives use kinesio-taping on children with umbilical hernia. However, the benefit has not been conclusively proven.
Umbilical hernia surgery
How a hernia operation proceeds, you can read in the article Umbilical hernia surgery.
How does an umbilical hernia occur in a baby?
The umbilical hernia in the baby has two possible causes:
- In the congenital form, the natural (physiological) umbilical hernia that occurs during the development of the embryo remains.
- In the acquired form, the umbilical hernia occurs even before an umbilical scar forms, due to increased pressure in the abdomen.
Congenital umbilical hernia
The physiological umbilical hernia remains until about the ninth week of pregnancy and then regresses. If not, the child is born with the umbilical hernia. This is then a congenital umbilical hernia.
Acquired umbilical hernia
After birth, the belly button forms after the umbilical cord is removed. The umbilical ring, the original passage point of the umbilical cord (or its vessels), becomes scarred. If this does not happen, physicians speak of an acquired umbilical hernia.
Most often, umbilical hernia affects premature babies with lung infections, in whom frequent coughing or crying increases the pressure in the abdomen. In addition, acquired umbilical hernia often occurs in association with metabolic diseases such as mucopolysaccharidoses or hypothyroidism, as well as certain hereditary diseases (trisomies).
How is an umbilical hernia detected in a baby?
The pediatrician usually detects an umbilical hernia just by looking at it and feeling it. An ultrasound examination is performed to determine the size of the abdominal wall gap and the connection to the abdominal cavity. Here the doctor can also see how the umbilical hernia emerges under abdominal pressure.
What is the course of an umbilical hernia in a baby?
Can an umbilical hernia be prevented?
Many expectant parents wonder if it is possible to prevent an umbilical hernia in their baby. However, this is not possible. The physical processes that lead to an umbilical hernia in newborns cannot be influenced. Unlike adults, babies are usually not overweight, do not lift or carry heavy loads, so eliminating these risk factors is out of the question.
